Cultural heritage of the Argentine Polish community in the collection of the Polish Army Museum in Buenos Aires

The Polish Army Museum in Martin Coronado, a town in in Buenos Aires province, is the only museum in South America dedicated to promoting Polish historical and cultural heritage. The museum houses a collection of unique memorabilia that serve to preserve the memory of Polish soldiers and make a valuable contribution to the preservation and dissemination of Polish cultural heritage. The Polish historical and cultural heritage in Argentina is extremely rich and has a long tradition dating back to the nineteenth century, when the first Poles began to settle on Argentinian lands. By advocating for Polish cultural heritage beyond the borders of Poland, the museum not only helps prevent it from being forgotten but also enriches the world’s cultural heritage.This article analyses the activities of the Polish Army Museum in Buenos Aires by presenting the origins of its establishment; the characteristics and organisation of its collection; the methods used for storage, cataloguing and exhibiting; and the results of the inventory of 1,502 exhibits (as of January 2025). Additionally, the article aims to highlight the role of the museum as an institution responsible for the protection, documentation, and promotion of Polish historical and cultural heritage in Argentina as well as its significance in shaping historical memory.